Thursday, April 7, 2011

So I just got the update from Cousin Joc that Elliot is going to the doctor for a "dairy challenge" in the next week or so. For those of you not in the know about the woes of food allergies/intolerances and, hence, what a "dairy challenge" is, allow me to gently school you on the marvels of modern medicine's diagnosis of food sensitivities:

1. You feel sick when you eat (but aren't keeling over from anaphylactic shock)2. Doctors suggest you eliminate certain foods from your diet (usually dairy, eggs, nuts, etc.)3. A few weeks/months later, you return to the doctor with food that includes in it's ingredient list ONE of the things that you had eliminated4. You chow down on the food with the potentially offending ingredient5. You hang out and wait to see if: A) you remain totally fine or B) You double-over with stomach pains, farting and nauseous, and eventually take up residence in the doctor's office bathroom until closing time or, possibly, the next morning6. At which time the doctors - upon seeing you, grey and dehydrated - can announce in their infinite wisdom that you are in fact intolerant of that food you now never want to look at again.

Note, the "lactose challenge" is especially fun since it used to involve drinking a Big Gulp of pure liquid lactose. Which, if you think about it, would kill most non-baby cows let alone someone with lactose intolerance.

Also note, food challenges are super fun if you're a pre-verbal toddler. Or better yet, if you're the parent of the pre-verbal toddler who gets to manage the barfing, pooping, and screaming should the food challenge go awry.

So here's a very special treat for Elliot (and for his mom) as he faces his Dairy Challenge. Here's hoping you win.

These amazing chocolate chip scones, adapted from the incredible Gluten-Free Goddess website (www.glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com) are gluten/wheat-free, nut-free, and egg-free and can be made entirely vegan with the substitution of the butter and milk with organic vegan shortening and your preferred milk substitute (rice, soy, hemp).

Empty the baking mix into a mixing bowl and drop the tablespoons of butter or shortening into the mix. Use a fork to cut in the butter/shortening until the mixture looks crumbly.

Add the vinegar or lemon juice to the milk and stir. Pour into the mixing bowl.

Add the prepared Egg Replacer that has previously been mixed with water.

Stir to combine. The dough is akin to biscuit batter. At this point, if you need a little more liquid, add 1 tablespoon of milk at a time until the dough is moist and holds together. It should appear a bit sticky.

Add the chocolate chips. Mix to distribute.

On a rice floured board, form the dough into a round cake pan size loaf- like a soda bread. Using a large sharp knife, score the dough into eight wedges. Then cut the dough, and using a thin spatula, remove each piece to a parchment lined cookie sheet. Reshape the wedges if you need to- I used a butter knife to do this. Sprinkle with extra chocolate chips and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.

Bake in the center of a preheated oven. Bake for approx. 30 minutes. The scones should like slightly golden brown, and you should be able to lift one up without it falling apart.